A place to call home
by Castiel-Fan
Summary: Eddie and Venom spend a calm, relaxing evening in the bathtub and the young man takes the opportunity to go fulll journalist on his extraterrestrial buddy and he learns some very interesting things about him...


_**First things first.  
I DON'T OWN VENOM!  
ALL RIGHTS BELONGS TO THE RESPECTIVE OWNERS OF THE MOVIE!**_

I have been working since november on this story and it's finally finished and I really, really like how it turned out.  
It's a mixture of humor, fluff and serious topics.

I have had much fun writing this, but it was also not easy for me, for I have not much background knowledge about Venom's kind,  
and thus I apologize for any mistakes when it comes to his background story. So far I haven't read many comics, but I still wanted to go a bit deeper into the movie-Venom's background story and here it is.

Anyway, I hope you will enjoy it.

 _And again: These two are just **FRIENDS** in my stories and **NOT** lovers and I don't care if they are a couple in the comics. This is the movie and NOT the comics!_

 _I hope you like it and again sorry for grammer/spelling mistakes; I translated this from german into english.  
If anyone has interest in the german version, PM me.  
_

 _ **And I would appreciate feedback in the form of a comment very much.**_

 _ **Please don't be shy and share your thoughts with me. I won't bite you.  
Comments keep my motivation up to write and upload my stuff, thank you.  
**_

* * *

 **A place to call home**

A satisfied sigh filled the small bathroom that evening, as Eddie slid into the warm water. Immediately, the wonderful warmth of the water caressed his body, displacing the pain from his body and washing away the stress of the previous day.

It had been a long, long day for him. A bit too long for his taste…

He had had to conduct a long interview and then had to write an article for the local newspaper, which he had to send away the same evening. Now it was ten o'clock in the evening and Eddie was stressed out and just wanted one thing: taking a relaxing bath and then go to bed and sleep for a long time.

At least the plan had initially looked like that, but he shouldn't forget that he was no longer alone. After all, Venom was there too and his alien buddy also demanded his attention, especially when it came to eating some nice food. Eddie was tired of all the fast food. Something that Venom didn't seem to care about at all, as well as many other things, as he showed him again that evening, as he manifested himself into his humanoid form, leaning against the edge of the bathtub on the opposite of his human friend and he gave him a big, toothy grin. And it didn't seem to bother him at all, that he was about to put half of the bathroom under water, because he was clearly too big for the small bathtub. There was hardly room for Eddie in it, but Venom was a different caliber.

"Damn, V! Can't you make yourself smaller? Look at my floor!" the journalist growled, as he threw an annoyed look at the already drenched floor and then looked back at Venom, who was still grinning broadly at him and folded his arms contentedly behind his head.

 **"You need a bigger bathtub, Eddie, that's all,"** was all he said and it was at that moment that Eddie really regretted showing him the bathroom when Venom had begged him to do so a few weeks ago. Before, he had always forced the symbiote to leave his body, so that he had some privacy in the bathroom at least, but curious as Venom was, he had at some point just come through the door slot and had reconnected with Eddie.

At the time, the journalist had stood in the shower and had been washing his hair when Venom had manifested himself in his serpent form. Eddie's scream had certainly echoed through the whole damn house and he had almost slipped if Venom hadn't caught him with some of his tentacles. After that, one thing led to another, because Venom had loved the warm water, that had come out of the shower and at some point Eddie had also told him how the bathtub worked and curious as his buddy was, he wanted to try it out too.

And here they were now...

"Is it really too much to ask, if you let me take a bath in peace at least one evening?" the young man grumbled and he leaned back again and ran his hands through his face. He couldn't help shuddering, because the water had already run out of the bathtub for the most part and only barely covered his lower body and without the warm water, it was cold. The stupid heating didn't work, which wouldn't have bothered him in the slightest under normal circumstances, for San Francisco was actually a place where it was never really cold; not even in winter. But this year everything seemed to be different. The winter was cold, the heater was not working and he was sitting here, squeezed in his half-full bathtub, feeling like a sardine in a can.

And his extraterrestrial friend didn't seem to be bothered by any of this at all, because he looked as contented, as he had never seen him before and even Eddie found it hard to be mad at him in this moment. He growled one last time before reaching for the washcloth, which floated in front of him in the scanty residue of water and began to wash himself. And he was trying so hard not to think about Venom or what they had experienced together in these last weeks. But that was not easy at all. There were simply things which he couldn't forget and the fight against Riot and Drake was one of them. He still shuddered when he thought back to it and at the same time it made him proud to have had the courage to face such a powerful enemy. Above all, he was proud of Venom, because despite of everything, he had fought against his own kind to save this planet. Although he had told him before that their chances were almost by zero, he still had fought bravely and he had won in the end.

But he had almost lost his life in this fight...

The young man shuddered again as the image of Venom crept into his head, as he had tried to cushion his fall, even though the flames had torn at his body. It had been a miracle that he had survived that...

 **"Stop thinking about that, Eddie."**

He flinched, when Venom's dark voice cut through his mind so suddenly and catapulted him back to the here and now. And as he turned his eyes to the symbiote, he shuddered at the stern look he gave him and which told him that he didn't like his thoughts and that he should stop thinking about what had happened.

"It's not easy to forget all of that, Ven. Especially since it has left scars. Not just mentally..." As he spoke, his fingers deliberately stroked over the long scar in the middle of his chest; right where Riot had caught him with that spear-like thing. Whenever he touched that scar, he thought that he could still feel the pain. A keepsake that he would have gladly avoided...

Venom looked at him silently, staring at the scar and trying to get the image out of his head, which crept into his mind. The image of Eddie, and how he lay lifeless and in his own blood on the ground and hadn't moved a muscle anymore...

 **"We can help you,"** he finally said, breaking the awkward silence that had settled over them both.

"Oh yes? How do you want to do that? Do you want to clear my mind?"

 **"We can't do that, Eddie."**

"What do you want to do then?"

 **"Replace your bad memories with something nice."**

"Oh yeah? And what is "nice" in your eyes?"

The Klyntar grinned.

 **"Do you remember when we bit off those guys heads a few days ago?"**

Of course he had to start with this now...

"Oh man, you are not helping, V."

 **"Why not?"**

"Because...well...that's just not something we humans like, you know? This kind of thing is rather disturbing for us and not fun at all."

Venom looked questioningly at him, before leaning forward to be on par with Eddie.

 **"What does your species understand by fun?"**

"Good question. I think that varies from person to person. Video games are fun for many people. A good movie in the cinema or TV is fun. Some people find it fun just to be out in nature. Others seek action to give their lives a fulfillment. Everybody defines fun differently."

 **"And what about you?"**

"Me? Well, I prefer a calm life. This here. That's relaxing."

 **"That?"**

Venom eyed the pathetic remnant of bathwater they both shared and then glanced back at Eddie, who was grinning at his confused look.

"Yes, that. A wonderful bath after work can be like the revelation."

 **"Like what?"**

"Explaining that would definitely take too long. Just see this as a lot of fun to sit here and do nothing at all."

 **"That's not fun, Eddie. That is boring."**

"Well, if it's boring, go out then. Then at least I have room to stretch my legs out."

Venom grinned, leaned back and folded his arms defiantly behind his head.

 **"No. The warm water feels nice. I think we stay here as long as Eddie stays here."**

The journalist grumbled something incomprehensible, before he took the washcloth and threw it into Venom's face. The Klyntar just growled and flung the washcloth back into Eddie's face, grinning contentedly as his host growled and glared at him, as he pulled the washcloth from his face again. But instead of getting further upset, he just decided to keep quiet and to lean back and at least try to relax a bit. Still, he shivered slightly, feeling cold. He hadn't much of his bathing water left and since Venom filled out practically the whole tub, he wouldn't even be able to stretch his legs out. Great! That's not how he had imagined a peaceful and relaxing evening, after a hard day at work...

A startled shriek escaped his throat, as Venom grabbed his ankles and pulled his legs towards him.

"H-hey, man! What the hell do you think you're doing?" he growled.

 **"You wanted to stretch out your legs. So just do it,"** the alien grinned and he took Eddie's right foot into his big hand and eyed it curiously.

 **"Your species has a strange looking body, Eddie. Why are your fingers so long and your toes so short?"**

The journalist leaned back when the shock had faded from him and he only rolled his eyes, as his alien buddy eyed his foot curiously, as if it was the strangest thing he had ever seen.

"How should I know that? I was born that way. That's just how our bodies look like. I could also tell you that _you_ have a weird looking anatomy."

 **" _Your_ species is weird. I don't see claws on your body, Eddie. When I think about it, your species is weak. No claws, no fangs, no venom, no fur which warms you. A skin, that is not particularly thick and bleeds quickly when you hurt it. Bones, that break easily. And a brain that can't exploit its full potential, otherwise it drives you mad. So, which one of us is the weird one here?"**

"Pfft please. At least I don't look like a black blob, if I don't have a host..."

 **"What's a blob?"** the curious Klyntar asked, cocking his head as Eddie grinned slightly.

"We two of us should really watch more alien horror movies together; then you would know what I'm talking about."

 **"I could just read it in your mind."**

"Oh yes? Well, then try it, buddy."

To his surprise, Eddie denied him access to the information he sought, when Venom tried searching for the weird word in his mind and he had absolutely no idea how he did that.

Interesting. Riot had indeed been right when he had said that his host was strong...

"So much for "weak", huh, Ven?"

The answer consisted of claws that ran briefly over the sole of his foot and Eddie felt as if he would crawl out of his own skin at the strong tickling sensation that quickly ran up his leg and right into his brain and he quickly pulled his feet away from the grinning Klyntar.

"Stop this shit, man!"

 **"Told you: Weak."**

"Oh, bite me..."

Eddie quickly regretted those words, as Venom leaned forward and opened his mouth wide to teasingly bite him onto his arm, which Eddie quickly pulled away from him.

"Dude! What the hell are you doing?"

 **"But you said that I should bite you."**

"Don't always take everything so literally, man!" the journalist said with a laugh, as he pushed Venom's head away from him. Still, he should really pay attention to _what_ he said to the symbiote, since he really took everything literally.

 **"Sorry, Eddie..."**

"It's okay."

For a moment the two of them kept silent, before the journalist couldn't stand the silence any longer.

"Hey, Ven. Can I ask you something?"

 **"Sure."**

"How is it to live on your planet?"

The Klyntar avoided eye contact with him, instead supporting his head with one hand and staring at the wall opposite him as he answered.

 **"Cold. Dark. Quite different than your planet."**

"Wasn't there water or plants or other life?"

Now he turned his head back to Eddie and looked at him with slight melancholy in his big, white eyes.

 **"No. There is only us. Nothing more."**

"How may I understand that?"

 **"My home planet...it's made of us."**

"It's made of you? Come on...you're kidding me."

 **"No. That's the truth, Eddie. The whole planet is made of us Klyntar. That's why the planet is wearing our name."**

Eddie had often wondered what it might look like on other planets, but he would have never thought of any of this. But then…if someone would have told him that he would sit in a bathtub, together with E.T he would have called this person crazy. Only a few weeks ago he hadn't even believed in extraterrestrial life and now he was sharing his apartment and also his own body with an alien. His life couldn't become weirder…

 **"Have you ever heard of a Celestial?"** Venom's dark voice ripped him out of his thoughts and he returned his attention to his symbiote.

"No, I've never heard of that. What is that supposed to be?"

 **"A Celestial is what you would call a God. An ancient being, older than the universe itself. They are told that the Celestials should have created the universe once, but no one knows about that for sure. But many planets were created by them and some of them themselves became a planet and created life. I have been to such a planet myself. You feel more connected to such a planet than on one who has not been created by a Celestial. But even among the Celestials there are such and such; good and evil. And my planet also houses some kind of Celestial. But he is not a good creature. He is evil. He was the one who created my species many millions of years ago. At that time, we Klyntar were slaves of his will. We murdered in his name, tried to subjugate planets and we spread like a virus in the universe. But one day some Klyntar managed to break free of this Celestial we call Knull and face up to him. They managed to rob him of his power and these Klyntar sacrificed themselves and locked him up inside their bodies and that's how my planet was born. Knull is still there, locked up in the depths of our planet and we watch over him and make sure that he can't break free, because if that would happen, he would destroy the entire universe as we know it. The name of our species, Klyntar, means "prison" or "cage" in the language of humans and now you know why. There's nothing nice on my planet, Eddie. Only brutality, because on my planet, the law of the strongest applies and some Klyntar are still filled with hatred that Knull had created at that time. And Riot was one of them..."**

That had to sink in.

Eddie didn't know what to answer and Venom could see it in his face that this information was just too much for him and he could barely handle it. He remembered very well how Eddie had told him not too long ago that he could hardly believe there was any other life out there in space and that he and practically all other humans thought that they were the only Life forms in the universe. And now he told him all these things. It was really no miracle when he was overwhelmed with all these new information...

But despite everything, the symbiote kept talking.

 **"Do you know why they call me a loser on my planet?"**

Eddie looked at him silently and just shook his head.

 **"Because I'm too soft in their eyes. They call me a loser, a weakling, a freak, because I am not what they are. I don't enslave my host and I don't force him to do things he doesn't want to. I take care of my host and worry about his welfare. Something, that many others on my planet would never do. They would eat their host alive if he doesn't do what they want. You saw it yourself at Carlton Drake's labs. All these dead humans were hosts of the others of my kind, which Drake kept trapped down there."**

"Wait a second, V. You also tried to eat me alive. Do you remember that? What the hell was that?"

The symbiote flinched at those words and turned his face away from Eddie, as he remembered what he had done to him.

 **"I'm sorry, Eddie. But when we get hungry and when there is nothing else to eat, we start feasting on the organs of our hosts. It would be like if you didn't get anything to eat for months and they lock you up in a room full of food. You quickly lose control of yourself. I'm sorry about what I did to you. I know I could have killed you...please...forgive me..."**

"Hey, hey, it's alright, Ven. I didn't mean it that way. That's all in the past, okay? I just wanted to know why you did that. I can understand it somehow. Hunger can drive you crazy sometimes."

 **"I shouldn't have done that anyway. I don't want to be like the others."**

"But you did, there's no doubt about that, but you'll _never_ be like the others, so don't think about it anymore. This is all in the past and didn't you just tell me to stop thinking about all of this? Then stop it, too."

 **"I'll stop it if you stop thinking about Riot, deal?"**

"Okay, fine. Deal."

Eddie grinned as he agreed to the deal with a handshake and he leaned back relaxed and Venom did the same.

"Celestials, huh? Wow...Say Ven. There is no such thing here on earth, right? I mean, you could certainly feel that, if there's such a thing here...right?"

 **"Yes."**

"And? Can you feel something?"

The symbiote narrowed his eyes and seemed to focus on his surroundings, before shrugging his shoulders and leaning back.

 **"The only thing I feel or rather hear is how our neighbor tries to creep quietly into his apartment without making a single sound,"** he said with a big grin on his face, which made even Eddie grin.

"If our neighbor had x-ray eyes and if he would see that I am sitting in the bathtub with an alien, he would most likely leave the planet."

 **"Hey! I'm not an alien!"**

"You are on earth, so you are an alien to us humans. Get used to it...or should I call you parasite instead?"

 **"No! We hate that word!"** Venom growled and he bared his fangs, but Eddie wasn't intimidated by that, knowing that his buddy wouldn't harm him.

"You know...those teeth are amazing when I think about it. Come here and let me get a closer look at them."

Confused, the Klyntar looked at his human friend, but then leaned down to him and let him look at his fangs. It surprised him again and again that Eddie was no longer scared of him and only reluctantly he let himself be "examined" by him. He even opened his mouth so that Eddie had a better look at his mighty fangs and grinned slightly, as he heard him gasp in astonishment.

"Even two rows of fangs and a tongue like sandpaper. Oh man. In contrast, we humans are really weak. I don't have such cool things..." he said as he let go of Venom's jaw, who licked his teeth with delight at so much praise at once. Oh yes, here on earth, he was no longer a loser…

 **"What do you mean by that?"**

"Well, look at my miserable teeth. They are nothing compared to yours."

 **"They are not that miserable."**

"But they are practically useless. I couldn't bite anyone's head off with them."

 **"Well, they're not meant for that, right?"**

"Not really. Now...can I ask you something else? Something personal?"

 **"Sure."**

"Okay...oh man, how am I supposed to ask you this question without sounding super weird?"

 **"Just ask me."**

"Um, well...uhhh...how...how are new Klyntar born? I mean...do you have... well...you know?"

 **"Sex?"**

"I didn't want to ask that directly, but yes. So?"

 **"Eddie. Look at me. How am I even supposed to do that?"**

"How the hell should I know that?"

Venom grinned when he saw how Eddie's cheeks turned bright red and he quickly looked away from him, pretending he had never asked that question. And a look into his mind made him grin even wider.

 **"You really have an interesting fantasy, Eddie Brock. Do you know that?"**

"Get out of my head, man! I can't help it if these pictures sneak into my mind. I can't control that! You and your stupid tentacles, man!"

Deep, dark sounding laughter filled the small bathroom then, clearly coming from Venom, who was highly amused by this weird, but fun situation.

Meanwhile, Eddie's head looked like he was about to explode from embarrassment and before that really happened, Venom decided to answer his question and not tease him any further, for he could see how uncomfortable he already felt.

 **"To answer your question: No, we don't connect our bodies if we want to produce offspring, like your species does. That wouldn't work either way because we are genderless. It's a different way for us. There are Klyntar who have hatched from an egg. Like me. Others are the offspring of other Klyntar, which are born from part of our body. Think of it as a cell division in your body. That's the only way I can explain this to you. But this doesn't happen very often, because this offspring is mostly corrupted and becomes kinda evil. At least I heard about something like this. I have never seen it myself yet and I'm glad about that. It's already bad enough to see that my species has increasingly strayed from its true nature. My species is not evil, Eddie. We wanted to do good things, but more and more Klyntar have fallen into darkness and...you have seen what they can become. "Giving birth" to an offspring wouldn't be a good idea in times like these."**

"Yeah, I can understand that. So, if I understood that correctly, I just need to take a small part of your body and I can create a new symbiote? A symbiote, that would totally go crazy when he is born?"

 **"In principle, yes."**

"Then let's hope that no scientist will ever get his hands on you ever again. Or has Drake already done that to you?"

 **"No, Eddie, he didn't do that. Not to me and not to the others. It's good that he hasn't learned enough about our species. I don't want to think of what would have happened if Riot had shared all his knowledge with him."**

"Damn right, man! I don't want to think about that either!"

 **"It wouldn't have been good, that's for sure. But let's not talk about that anymore. Riot and Drake are dead. They can't do any more harm. And I don't plan any bad things either."**

"That's good to know. Sooooo... is there anything else I need to know about you?"

 **"It depends on what you want to know."**

"Hmm, I already know a lot about you and your kind: You need a "compatible" host to survive. You seem to be pretty old after all you have told me. You reproduce asexually if I understood that correctly. You can heal just about anything after connecting with a compatible host. You hate sound waves, because they can hurt you. And you also hate fire. For good reason. I saw for myself what it can do to you. I know you love chocolate and just about every fast food that is available. Oh, and I know one of your biggest weaknesses."

 **"So? And that would be?"**

"If I scratch you under your chin you'll practically melt away," Eddie grinned and he waggled his eyebrows as Venom bared his fangs and leaned down to him so that he could growl right into his face.

 **"Not true!"**

"Oh no?"

He reached his hand out for the symbiote and scratched him under his chin. The reaction came immediately: Venom's eyes almost completely disappeared in his head as he closed them slowly. A comforting hum came from the depths of his throat, which almost sounded like a purr, his whole body was shaking with pleasure and he leaned into Eddie's touch even more.

"Ohhh, just look at you, Ven. Where's the big, bad alien suddenly gone, huh? You huge cuddle monster, you..."

 **"We'll bite your head off later for that..."**

"Of course you do that..." Eddie laughed and he continued to scratch him under his chin for a few more minutes, relishing in the alien's soft purring until it became too cold for him and he decided to get out of the bathtub, which Venom commented with a grumble as he wanted to stay in the water for a bit longer.

"I know that even without a host, you can turn into any form you like. Why don't you do that and stay here for a while?"

 **"Because it's exhausting when we're apart. I don't have that much power to maintain this shape then. Besides, I don't like being alone..."**

"Ohhh, what bad luck for you, huh? But you know what? I put on my sleeping clothes, make one or two pizzas for us and then we spend a nice, cozy evening in bed, watching TV together. And if you're a good symbiote and if you behave and don't bite my head off, then you may get more of this as well," the reporter grinned and during his last words, he scratched Venom's chin again briefly, before he got out of the bathtub and wrapped a towel around his hips, trying to ignore the fact that his bathroom floor was still halfway under water. He could take care of this later...

 **"We like this plan,"** the Klyntar purred, who had changed from his humanoid form back to his serpent form and was now sticking out of Eddie's shoulder blade and rubbing his head against his friend's cheek. Almost like a cat would do it to show affection.

"Oh man, for such a bloodthirsty alien you are really cuddly, aren't you?"

 **"Maybe I am...but we don't tell anyone, right? This will be our little secret."**

Eddie grinned.

"Don't be so sure about that, buddy. I would tell Anne."

 **"You don't even have the courage to tell her that I'm still alive, you coward!"**

"Of course I will tell her...Well…One day...I just don't know how to do that..."

 **"Call her and tell her. What are you so scared of?"**

"I'm not scared. I just don't know how she reacts then. I want to give her some more time."

 **"You'd rather want to give _yourself_ some more time, huh?"**

"Oh, just shut up, man..."

He tried to ignore the symbiote as best as he could as the alien laughed softly.

Murmuring, he dried his short hair, before his way led him out of his bath and back to his wardrobe, where he took out fresh clothes.

 **"Eddie?"**

"Hmm?"

 **"Why do you have these weird signs all over your body?"**

"Weird signs? What do you mean by that?" the young man asked, as he was about to put on his pajama pants. He winced as a small tentacle brushed over his arm.

"Oh, you mean that? These are tattoos."

 **"What is that?"**

"That's color that gets injected under the skin."

 **"Sounds painful. Why did you do that?"**

"I wanted it. Some people like to decorate their skin with tattoos. Every single tattoo has its own meaning."

 **"Really?"**

"Yes."

 **"What does yours mean?"**

"That, my friend, is a story for another day," Eddie said, grinning again as he heard Venom grumble, as he hid his tattoos with his pajama top.

"Now don't sulk. You're not a little kid, aren't you? Even though sometimes I feel like being a babysitter for you..."

 **"Why would you sit on a baby?"**

"Oh man, V. I told you, you shouldn't always take everything so literally," Eddie said, laughing as he dropped onto his bed, reached for the TV remote and wanted to turn on the television, but he didn't even manage to do so when Venom was back. He had shapeshifted back into his humanoid form and was leaning over him now.

 **"Eddie? Hungry…"**

"Ten minutes, Ven. Just let me lie here for ten minutes...After that, I'll make you whatever food you want, okay? My day was really long...and my whole body hurts..."

 **"I can help you if you want."**

"What? Do you want to give me a massage?"

Actually, the question was meant only as a joke. All the more surprised was Eddie, as Venom nodded his head with a grin.

"Okay? Uhhh…fine...But only if you promise me not to break every single bone inside my body."

 **"I would never do that, Eddie. I will be careful. Promised."**

"Good, otherwise you can start looking for a new host," he teased, before he rolled onto his stomach and let Venom work his magic on him, but of course not before his friend teased him a bit more.

 **"Hey, Eddie?"**

The grin was audible in his voice and he waited until the journalist turned his head so much that he could look over his shoulder and at him.

"What?"

He saw how Venom manifested a few small tendrils and waggled them around in front of his face.

 **"How was that with the tentacles?"**

"Oh God, Venom…" the young man murmured, before burying his now red face back into his pillow and he tried to ignore his buddie's highly amused laughter…

In the end the Klyntar decided to better stop teasing him and he also kept his promise to be careful, when he started the massage. At first he was a bit clumsy and Eddie had to tell him to be careful with his claws, but gradually the massage became more and more comfortable for him and soon he realized how the tension left his muscles and he relaxed more and more, as he could feel how the pain and also the stress faded from his body. And something was telling him that it wasn't just the back massage that did this to him, for he could feel how Venom was doing something to his organs too. As if he was cleaning him from the inside from all bad things. He remembered that Venom had told him, that his species was able to do something like this. Whatever he was doing there, it worked and it made him feel as good as never before...

 **"How does it feels, Eddie? Feels good?"**

"Yes. you're doing really well, Ven...Thank you…" he murmured and his eyes closed slowly as the fatigue stretched her hand out to him.

 **"You are welcome,"** Venom said and he smiled contentedly as he went on with the gentle massage...and eventually wondered why his host had stopped responding and his breathing and heartbeat were slowing down. He was frightened at first, when he noticed this and stopped the massage immediately, only to find Eddie asleep as he tried to look into his face.

 **"Eddie?"** he whispered softly, but his friend didn't respond. He had already fallen asleep. A satisfied smile lay on his lips, as he unconsciously cuddled further into his pillow, which he clutched with both arms. His chest rose and fell gently and he seemed so relaxed and contented as never before.

And Venom just didn't have the heart to wake him up to beg him again for something to eat. Instead, he put the blanket over him, shapeshifted back into his serpent form, rested his head on Eddie's shoulder and purred softly.

He stayed awake for a while, just lying there, listening to Eddie's gentle heartbeat and breathing. From time to time his head jerked up and a low growl came from his throat as he heard the neighbor above him dropping something onto the floor. When silence returned, he cuddled back into Eddie's soft pajama fabric and slowly his own eyes closed, as he began to follow Eddie into the land of dreams.

He fell asleep with the thought that he had finally found a place on earth that he could call "home." Here he felt well and secure and in Eddie he had found the best friend he could have wished for…maybe even more than that. That feeling in his innermost...that's what it must feel like being part of a family. A feeling, that he had never felt before…

Yes. In Eddie, he had found a family. A real family! And for that he was so grateful, as for nothing else. This gift was more precious than all the riches the universe could have given him and he would treasure this gift and protect it with his life, if he had to...

And tonight neither he nor Eddie was plagued by dark nightmares.

That night, there was no Carlton Drake or Treece who would torture Eddie and kill him.

That night, there was no Riot and no other Klyntar who mocked Venom, hurt him, laughed at him and abandoned him, calling him a loser.

No.

That night, there was only the warmth of their deep friendship and they both slept as peacefully as they hadn't done it for a long, very long time, for there was nothing to fear anymore...

 **The end**


End file.
